Brazil 1989

Keith Haring made this untitled painting, known as Brazil, with paint, and what I love is the way it feels like a visual puzzle. The whole surface is covered with these interlocking, almost maze-like forms, a warm orange that creates a dense, energetic field. The black lines defining each shape are so consistent, it’s almost like seeing a huge group of people dancing. The right edge of the painting breaks into a vivid blue area, with drips that pull the eye downwards. It’s interesting how Haring balances control and looseness, that blue section really comes alive against the pattern. I’m reminded a little of early 80s graffiti art and artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat. It makes you wonder about the connections artists make across time. Haring’s work invites us to find our own meanings and interpretations. It’s this ambiguity that keeps art alive, right?